Brunch is a movement, a worldwide phenomenon, created by combining two of our favourite and most important meals, breakfast and lunch, into one.

Normally eaten at around 11am and served until 2pm, wherever you go, you will see ‘Brunch hours’, ‘Brunch menus’, and maybe even be asked to go on brunch dates. So when you are in Vancouver and looking for the best place to lounge and eat brunch with your friends after having slept in that morning, where should you go?

We have made it our mission to introduce to our guests and readers all of Vancouver’s best brunch locations. This week, we are taking you to Café Medina.

Nested next to the Stadium-Chinatown Skytrain station, this gem in the wall is located at 556 Beatty Street. Here, brunch is served from 9 am to 3 pm. Their famous sign, “Life is too short for bad coffee”, is displayed outside, capturing your attention and pulling you through their doors. From Medina, you will learn that lavender lattes are supreme and should be offered at every major coffee shop.Continue reading →

It’s that time of the year when Spring Fever hits everyone in Vancouver and pulls them outside to join each other in celebration of the beautiful weather. Full-bloomed cherry blossom trees are a definite symbol of springtime in this city and you will catch locals and travelers snapping photos of the the pink trees that line up almost every street. Even though we all complain about the rain here on the west coast, we also love to celebrate the sunshine when we get the chance. What could be a better way to celebrate the season than to attend Vancouver’s Cherry Blossom Festival events?

To access all the events during the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, visit their official website. You will find a variety of community events throughout different areas of the city. We will highlight a few that you will surely enjoy with friends and family.

For anyone wishing to experience Japanese lifestyle and culture, this event will be perfect for you. Here, you will get the chance to experience the ritual of the Japanese tea ceremony, enjoy Japanese festival food, sample premium sake, watch classical Japanese dance, and listen to Haikus being read out loud. If you enjoy Richmond’s night market, then you will not want to miss out on this fun and festive weekend!Continue reading →

Vancouver’s Winter Farmers Market: Prepare to meet your maker.

Every Saturday from 10am – 2pmNovember 2, 2013 – April 26, 2014

Why do we love farmers markets? It’s fun, it’s fresh, and it’s interactive. Get your ingredients for your next dish directly from the hands of the people who grow them! The prices of the farmers’ produces are also unbeatable. Paying one a visit is a must during your stay in Vancouver.

We loved these quotes so much, we paired them with some beautiful photos. Enjoy!

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The battle for coffee supremacy in Vancouver continues between big names such as Tim Hortons, Starbucks, and even McDonalds but there is now more competition than ever. Coffee lovers in Vancouver are immigrating to new, independent cafes such as JJ Bean, Cafe Medina, and Revolver Cafe, to name a few. Without much further ado, here is our list of:

The Top 10 Cafes in Vancouver.

Read more to learn about what makes them so special.

1. 49th Parallel

What makes this cafe so special? Just take a look at their Tiffany blue cups and try to resist the temptation to hold one in your hands. At this cafe’s Main Street location, their wonderful staff serves you top-notch coffee and patisseries. Their flaky butter croissants are out-of-this-world. This cafe attracts the most unique coffee-lovers in Vancouver so you will likely find yourself sitting there for hours, just people-watching.

Did someone say International Wine Festival?

Before the words even left our lips, the tickets to this event were already close to being sold out! But you are still in luck. As of this minute, there are still tickets available for the Dinner and Auction on February 22nd, the Wine Mingler on February 25th, the International Wine Tasting events on February 27th, 28th and March 1st, and several trade seminars. The entire event runs from February 24th – March 2nd, 2014.

If you are not a wine expert but would like to learn more about it, then Winefolly.com provides the best free, and accurate beginner’s guide to wine.

February 14th is coming up and love is in the air! Vancouver is such a beautiful and romantic city and there are about a million things you could do to create a wonderful Valentine’s Day experience for your significant other. Do you want to be creative this year? Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Chocolate

Enjoy some artisanal desserts at Le Bel Café. We recommend trying their Peppermint Patty. If you order this and sit outside, you will for sure have women running up to you asking you what it is. What an adorable AND delicious treat. Le Bel Café is also a participating store of the 4th Annual Hot Chocolate Festival which will go on until February 14th. Price | Under $10

Travelling can be stressful sometimes, especially when you are on a budget but would like to get the most out of experiencing a new city. What would be a better way to see Vancouver than to explore the city’s most popular gathering place for festivities, flash mobs, and lunches? The steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery is known to be the gathering hot spot for Vancouverites. Continue reading →

Starting today

Dine Out Vancouver is back and ready to serve all of your palates in Vancouver and Metro Vancouver. If you love to dine out but are also on a budget, then this festival is perfect for you. For an extended period of time, high-end restaurants all around Vancouver are offering affordable, 3-course menus at a fixed price of either $18, $28, or $38! Restaurants participating include many talks-of-the-town such as Mosaic Bar & Grille, Minami Restaurant, Cloud 9 Revolving Restaurant & Lounge, The Italian Kitchen, L’Abattoir, Salt Tasting Room, Twisted Fork Bistro, Hapa Izakaya, just to name a few! Continue reading →

We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So we’re building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other.

The mid of March is about to get very busy for Vancouver! As many of us are aware, Vancouver is home to the upcoming TED2014 conference. 2014 is a special year for TED because it marks the event’s 30th anniversary. For those who do not know, TED conferences bring together the world’s greatest innovators, thinkers, and doers, to speak about a topic of their choice (under 18 minutes or less). These range from talks about science and technology to performing arts and music. One of my favourite speakers was Amy Cuddy, who spoke about how “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are“.Continue reading →